Cinema Stars, Films and Stage

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 July 1936, Page 9

Cinema Stars, Films and Stage

SEYMOUR HICKS IN “SCROOGE” Something unique in film subjects is the British Dominion release “Scrooge,” based on Dickens’ immortal tale “A Christmas Carol. - ' The great author’s story of the old miser who, at Christmastide, makes misery for everyone round him, and is consequently a most wrenched man himself until in a dream he is shown the erroi> of his ways, has been brought to the screen without losing any of the charm of this much-loved book. Brilliantly directed by Henry Edwards, beautifully photographed, with a carefully selected cast, “Scrooge" reflects the greatest credit on all who were concerned with its production. England’s famous actor, Seymour Hicks, plays “Scrooge,” and has nevei been seen to such advantage. His

gradual emanation from the .lonely, wretched old miser to a jolly man filled with human kindness and a love of his fellow creatures is a veritable triumph of histrionics, and caused one well-known critic to describe him as “greater than Jannings.” High praise indeed! But not too High'; for the brilliance and versatility of Hicks’ performance must' remain indelibly imprinted on the memory of all who see it. :¥ ¥ % ... ¥ ■ , “The Ghost Goes West” “The Ghost Goes West,” : hn Alexander Korda production, is something new in screen entertainment—a film that is as witty in content and presentation as was the story from which it was adapted when it first appeared in “Punch.” A high standard in humour is set by “Punch,” and the noted French director, Rene Clair, has recast the story in well-nigh perfect pictorial form. The freshness of outlook and puckish imagination that has always characterised the work of both Korda and Clair has every outlet in this delightful story of a Scottish ghost whose forced contact with the life he so violently left centuries before has such an amusing effect upon modern America. Robert Donat is so attractive and so exactly right in the dual role of the spectre and his modern descendant that in the words of one critic, “we can pay him no greater compliment than to state that we believe in him both as man and ghost!”

Paramount has made an elaborate screen version of the American stage musical comed'y, “Anything Goes.” The big cast includes Ethel Merman who plays her original Broadway stage role.- Bing Crosby, Charlie Ruggles, Ida Lupino and Grace Bradley. Several new numbers have been written for the screen version, including “Moonburn” and “Sailor Beware.” These songs, which are in addition to the Cole Porter numbers “Anything Goes,” “I Got a Kick Out of You,” and “You’re the Tops,” were written by Frederick Hollander and Leo Robin. * * * * I should not object to any film I had directed being censored by an octogenarian, or a centenarian for that mutter, —Alfred Hitchcock,

CHILD FILM STARS Shirley Temple, who celebrated her seventh birthday in April, will earn £350,000 in the next seven years by the terms of her new contract. Shirley has been signed by Twentieth Cen-tury-Fox to make four pictures a year until 1943, when she will be fourteen. For each of the three pictures made before the production of “The Liltlcst Rebel,” the child star received approximately £4OOO. She will now draw £13,000 a film, also £I2OO for her mother, who is her manager. Most richly paid next to Shirley is Jackie Cooper, now 12, who, with his mother, makes £SOO a week when working. Dickie Moore, aged ten, makes £l5O a week, and Jane Withers, Sybil Jason and Mickey Rooney £l2O a week. Children under 12 are forbidden by

law to act in British studios, a handicap which has prevented a United States director from making a film of “Tom Brown’s School Days” in England. In order to act for the films Freddie Bartholomew and Sybil Jason had to leave England for America. Once the most publicised baby in London, Baby Le Roy is now without a contract. It seems that as soon as the infant could talk, he told W. C. Fields and- several producers exactly what he thought of them, "and they couldn’t take it. G.-B. FILMS FOR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES Believing that film-education is one of the most effective methods of teaching, Gaumont-British are now producing films designed to fit school and college rosters at the rate of two a week. The subjects covered by these films include geography, biology, domestic science, general science, hygiene, public health, industry, language, natural history, physical education, and topics of general interest. The films are made under the supervision of eminent authorities on each subject. No less a distinguished personage than Professor Julian Huxley has taken charge of the pictures ! on biology.

The films are non-inflammable, and a library of nearly 100 subjects has already been compiled.

CHAPLIN’S TWO SONS Now at school in California, the two sons of Charlie Chaplin may go to England to attend a public school. The boys, Charles and Sydney, are aged 10 and 0 respectively. Their mother, Mrs Lita Grey Chaplin, who is appearing in English variety, stated in London that no definite plans had yet been made. “I do not care about making too many statements without consulting Mr Chaplin,” she added. “Anything that meets with his approval will be ail right with me.” # ¥ ¥• * Women want to say of the screen heroine: That might have been me. Not: That is me—John Gossage.

[ LOUIS PASTEUR This picture was assured greatness before the first scene was photo- : graphed, for the story of Pasteur’s life is a great story, and Paul Muni, assigned to enact the title role, is a great actor—one of the greatest masters of characterisation in pictures. In adapting the immortal chemist’s biography the authors of this story were confronted with the old problem of altering facts for the sake of better pictorial continuity; so a student of scientific history will recognise a few fictions in the film story of Louis Pasteur—Pasteur suffered his paralytic stroke many years before his acclamation by the Sorbonne on his 70th birthday, and he had no scientific enemy named Dr. Charbonnet. But, between them, the scenarists, the director, Paul Muni, and the rest of the cast have captured Pasteur’s | continued faith in the battle of science to overcome the fear born of ignorance, which has been characterised as his “immunisation against despair.” A consummate artist in the science of make-up, Muni has given himself the 'general appearance of the bearded ! chemist. But, beyond that, he has inj vested the character with an uncanny delineation of thought and moods, t manner and mein that are far above the realm of material make-up. # * # # : New and Different Comedy | Packed with surprises, comedy and music, Jack Buchanan’s “Come Out of j the Pantry” is splendid entertainment. , Action is swift, laughter comes spontaneously, the singing is bright and the theme romantic. Buchanan plays the aristocratic footman tremendously; as niece of the wealthy New Yorkers, Fay Wray is her most winsome; a strong cast supports every situation. The story suits the stars and the times. It is catchy, with amusing corners to it. One of the high spots of the show is the dancing sequence in j the kitchen when Buchanan sings the hit, “Everything Stops for Tea.”

Louis Joseph Vance’s “The Lone Wolf Returns”

The Lone Wolf, as a character of film and fiction, is the brain child of Louis Joseph Vance, venerated author of mystery novels that have thrilled a generation. Again the Lone Wolf is brought to the screen in the latest of the series entitled “The Lone Wolf Returns.” This was the best story written by Louis Joseph Vance, who recently passed away. As befits the character, in this latest story the Lone Wolf falls in love with the lovely Gail Patrick and forsakes his career of crime. Featured in' important roles in “The Lone Wolf Returns” are Tala Birell, Thurston Hall, Douglass Dumbrille. *.¥ ¥ ¥ Edmund Lowe’s New Musical Romance In “King Solomon of Broadway,” Edmund Lowe plays the starring role —that of a dance palace operator who gambles heavily and gives an 1.0. U. for the dance palace. The only catch is that the real owner of the place is a gangster, played by Edward Pawley, who’d just as soon shoot a man as buy a packet of cigarettes. On top of this excitement, the production contains several catchy tunes, sung by two screen finds, Dorothy Page, beautiful singing radio star, and Pinky Tomlin, a college boy with a refreshing personality. .Tomlin even went so far as to write one of the songs himself and then organised his own orchestra to play it. ¥ ¥ * ¥ “Mystery Woman” Described as one of the most ingenious melodramas produced in Hollywood in many months, the Fox ! Film production, “Mystery Woman,” featuring Mona Barrie, Gilbert Roland, John Halliday and Rod La-Rocque, is a story of a gallant wife’s struggle to clear her husband from disgrace. "Mystery Woman” offers an entirely new slant on the “drama of intrigue.” Mona Barrie, headed straight for stardom in the opinion of Hollywood's ablest prophets, has the best role she has played on the screen as the courageous wife; and that fine actor, John Halliday, appears .as the arch criminal. Rod La-Rocque, making his first film appearance after three years of retirement ' is cast as the husband. ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥

The New Zealand girl, Miss Georgina Sterling, daughter of the exchairman of the New Zealand Railways Board, has been allotted a role in the Columbia production, to be made in Australia in conjunction with National Studios. Victor Jory is the star, and the picture is being directed by Clarence Badger from Hollywood. The picture, which is taken from a specially written story by Zane Grey, is tentatively titled “Rangle River.” V ¥ * # In every picture in which Sir Guy Standing works, he always wears or carries the same hat. It is his one superstition. He wore the hat in his first picture. Sir Guy’s next picture is Paramount’s “Gentlemen of the Navy.” leap’to’fame Wendy Hiller, the Lancashire lass, who sprang to fame in the West End of I.ondon, last year as the heroine in “Love on the Dole,” has been snapped up by Hollywood. Wendy in the samo play, is now a sensation in New York. No sooner had the curtain fallen on the first performance of “Love on the Dole” than studio scouts were knocking at the stage door. They all wanted to see Wendy Hiller. But Wendy wouldn’t see any of them. She was excited at her success and did not feel she could face anyone. The boys could not believe it. This was a new experience for them. But they came back. And very soon Wendy Hiller, from Lancashire, will be on her way to Hollywood,

ANN HARDING IN ENGLAND Another front-ranking Hollywood film star has gone to England to make a film: Ann Harding sailed by the Duchess of Atholl from Montreal a few weeks ago and in doing so received a welter of publicity. Her divorced husband, Harry Bannister, had pursued her across America by train and aeroplane in an effort to prevent her from taking their eight-years-old daughter Jane to England. He flew to Montreal with his lawyer and held up the liner Empress of Australia, for which Ann had booked her passage. After a stem-to-stern search of the vessel, Bannister discovered that she had changed her plans secretly and sailed by the Duchess of Atholl two hours before he had arrived in the city. Her arrival in England was almost as sensational. Customs officers caused a sensation by refusing to allow her to keep her former constant companion—a handysized revolver, which she wanted “for target practice.” It was declared that her husband’s warrant for her arrest for abduction of little Jane was not valid in England.

An army of Press photographers and over 400 “fans” met. her at Euston Station, London, but were disappointed. Through an open window of the second carriage Jane was passed to attendants and taken to the Berkeley Hotel before Ann herself left her carriage—which was the last coach on the train. Ann says she will rent a house near Denham. where she is to make a film for Alexander Korda.

Bar 20 Rides Again Players who were favourites in the days of silent pictures have important parts in the cast of “Bar 20 Rides A.gain,” Paramount’s new “Hopalong Cassidy” picture, which stars William Boyd and Jimmy Ellison. Veterans of the screen who will be seen in the film include J. P. McGowan, Ethel Wales, and A 1 St. John, who was featured as a comedian in silent pictures. The production company made its headquarters at Lone Pine, California, within a few miles of the country’s highest and lowest spots. Mount Whitney, towering 14,496 feet above sea level, and Death Valley, lying about 280 feet below sea level, were on either side of Lone Pine, both in the same country. Rich in history and luxuriant in natural scenic beauty, this colourful district serves as a background for the story’s action, which deals with the famous Mulford characters of the western cattle ranch.

“A Night at the Opera” i Much praise has been bestowed on j Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s treatment of ■ the Marx Bros, latest comedy “A ; Night at the Opera.” One well known i critic acclaimed it as “the greatest comedy since Charlie Chaplin's ‘Shoulder Arms.’ ” Eddie Cantor said , “They’re three of our foremost! comedians, my wife will tell you the fourth.” Wallace Beery considers I “They are three times as funny as anything I’ve seen.” Edna May Oliver said, “Not a sane note in the entire opera; it was hilariously funny.” Stan Laurel opined that “He laughed till he cried.” ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ c 'I _ ■ “ Authenticity Emphasised Although the science of medicine has progressed, the style ,of stethoscopes has been improved but slightly was the discovery made during the production of Paramount’s dream drama, “Peter Ibbetson,” from the George Du Maurier novel co-starring Gary Cooper and Ann Harding. In a scene where Miss Harding faints, a stethoscope of the kind used in 1840, the period of the Ibbetson love story, was found by Paramount’s staff doctor in the property room. The entire cast tested the old stethoscope, made of heavy rubber and wood, and agreed that, not as shiny and swanky as the modern ones, it was more appropriate to the film and worked just as well. Purely a dream fantasy, “Peter Ibbetson” represents one of the most beautiful and immortal love stories ever told.

FAKE NEWSPAPERS j You may have wondered, as have many others, how motion picture companies manage to produce newspapers with streamer headlines and “stories" to suit their screen plays. Take the picture “Bullets or Ballots” for instance. This picture, which stars Edward G. Robinson and Joan Blondell, uses a number of flashes of newspaper headlines. Each paper, it is pretty obvious, must be printed especially for the studio. Yet, if they were set up and run off on big rotary presses in a newspaper printing plant, they would cost a fortune. As an alternative, then, the motion picture companies patronise a printing shop which does nothing but print newspapers to order. In “Bullets or Ballots” Robinson is seen reading a newspaper which screams: “KRUGER IS MURDER VICTIM RACKET CZAR SLAIN Shot Down During Payoff Killer Escapes Unseen” Following these headlines a story begins: “Number One Racketeer Charles Kruger was slain to-day. Two men, believed by witnesses to be race-track gamblers, were seep hurrying from

..SOUTHLAND’S FIRST TALKIE ' “The Waggon and .the Star,” Southland’s first talking picture film, shown at Invercargill provides an illustration not only of the beauty of Southland, but also the character of the province and its capital city. Nature and industry have provided a background of which clever photography has made the most. The' story of John Hawthorn, his rise to the control of the transport a'nd accommodation facilities of tourist resorts, is adequately told against a background of Southland’s beauty spots, and the short subjects deal with many phases of the province’s industrial, scholastic and sporting activities. # ¥ V # With the present trend for horror pictures in Hollywood, some producer may yet make a picture about three bridge players marooned on a desert island. . , ■

the scene of the crime That’s all. They don’t need any more. The paper is shown for only a second on the screen, just long enough for the audience to read the headlines and see the picture of Barton MacLane, who plays the role of Kruger. The rest of the paper is set-up stock which the printing shoo always has on hand, ready to arrange into a front page. The inside pages are the pages of any daily newspaper the printer may happen to have. The printer gets so much for each newspaper he makes up, and he supplies the studio with, generally, two dozen—the extra ones to be used for retakes, etc., although more may be had for the asking. In ‘‘Bullets or Ballots” alone, the printer was given an order to produce forty-five front pages, some of which will be but flashes on the screen. Does he get enough of that work to make a living Rather. The printer we have in mind clears from thirty to forty thousand dollars a year on his thriving business of turning out fake newspapers for the movies.

THE QUINTUPLETS The Dionne quintuplets, Canada’s most famous babies, are amongst the wealthiest, too. Their guardians signed, on their second birthday, a new contract for three feature motion pictures for which they were paid £5,000 in cash. In addition they will receive an extra £IO,OOO if they live to be four years old. They will also get 10 per cent, of the net proceeds of the films. Already the quintuplets have starred in one Hollywood film, “The Country Doctor,” for which they received £2OOO each for a few hours’ work. At present the children are worth about £IOO,OOO and have an annual income of about £ 16,000, of which £ 13,000 is spent maintaining them. They will be worth £200,000 in three years or less. THINGS~THEY SAY VIEWS IN THE NEWS SOME PITHY COMMENTS The Labour Party should be taken down to Margate and drowned.—Bernard Shaw. * * * * The theatre theorises. The cinema reports.—Karl Grune. * * ¥ ¥ The greatest drawback in British films just now is lack of co-operation. Your own Government is strangling what In America is the second biggest industry—Noah Beery. * * * * If film advertisers would only reduce their superlatives to comparatives and then withdraw one further stage into modesty, they would still find themselves with something positive to say.—C. A. Lejuene. ¥ « ¥ V The films can help you to buy your mother a Rolls-Royce and your wife a house in the country. But I still don’t believe they can help you to act. !—Laurence Olivier. * * * * I recognise the necessity to break 1 down a little.—Madeleine Carroll. j PICTURES AND PERSONALITIES Maureen O’Sullivan is prominently 1 cast in “Woman Wanted.” ! Marlene Dietrich was once a Shakespearean actress under Max Reinhardt. Alice Delysia, the famous French stage star, is to make her talkie debut in a British film, “Folly of Youth.” Gladys Swarthout will have two leading men, Herbert Marshall and Cary Grant, in her latest picture, “The New Divorce.” Harriet Hilliard, who made her debut in “Follow the Fleet,” has been offered the lead in Radio’s “Twinkle, Twinkle.” Roland Young plays the role of a Scotland Yard inspector in “The Unguarded Hour.” Loretta Young and Franchot Tone are the stars. Dolores Del Rio, at present in England, has signed a long term contract that will bring her under the Columbia banner. Her first picture has not yet been announced. Greta Garbo has returned to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios after an extended holiday, and began work immediately on “Camille.” Robert Taylor will appear opposite Miss Garbo. Charles Laughton’s film-making programme for the next year or so has now been settled. He will appear as a maitre d’hotel in “Lion of Mayfair,” and then in a picture based on the life of Rembrandt, and afterwards, either in “I Claudius,” based on the novel by Robert Graves, or in “Cyrano de Bergerac.” All will be British films. Home Secretary Sir John Simon is the “star” of a film produced by his department, and illustrating methods of dealing with fire outbreaks. “Kliou, the Tiger,” the first fulllength outdoor picture in three colours, was made in the jungle of Indochina by the Marquis de la Falaise, who is Constance Bennett’s husband. “I have searched everywhere for somebody who might become a worldfamous screen star,” said Mr Samuel Goldwyn, Hollywood magnate, at Claridge’s, London, after his recent tour of Europe. Quest was apparently fruitless.

AUSTRALIA GIRL STEPS INTO COVENT GARDEN The bright young Australian singer, Elza Dadswell, has been given several minor roles during the present International opera season at Covent Garden. She went to London soon after the completion of her engagement as one of the principals of Sir Benjamin Fuller’s Opera Company last year, and undertook a course of study. Miss Dadswell, who takes the stage name of Elsa Stenning, sang her first role at Covent Garden last May. She caused a mild sensation when she first attended a performance there during the International season of last year. The attractive-looking girl was mistaken for Grace Moore as she took her seat in a prominent part of the opera house. This was just after Grace Moore had made her London debut as Mimi in “La Bohemc,” a role she sang again a few nights later. The whisper went around that Grace Moore was in the audience, and the Australian girl who had been in London only a few weeks, saw many eyes turned in her direction. Artists at Covent Garden are men-

tioned in alphabetical order in the official list. That is lucky for the young Australian because the name of Elsa Stenning comes immediately below that of the famous Elisabeth Rethberg, who will sing in Australia soon. “RHODES OF AFRICA” Sir William Wayland, M.P., chairman of the Empire Day movement, during a speech in London, said that he heartily welcomed the production of such films as “Rhodes of Africa”— “a picture I strongly commend as giving. in the form of entertainment, a faithful character sketch of a great Empire builder.” He went on to say that, in his view, those who were .interested in the propaganda of Empire, ideals could not afford to ignore the potential influence of such films on the character of the rising generatioa “The British Film Industry,” he continued, “has a wonderful opportunity and scope for expansion in the dissemination of knowledge for Empire history. British institutions, l ! t r -rature and character. Into ‘Rhodes of Africa’ the producers, Gaumont-British, have woven the romance of Empire, with its stirring drama and human interest that render such a story warmly alive.” ¥ ¥ V ¥ Gitta Alpar, who has recently completed “Guilty Melody” at Ealing for Franco-London Films, has one more film to make before leaving for Hollywood contract.

Women’s Institute Drama Festival The finals of the annual drama festival of the Mid-Canterbury Federation of Women’s Institutes were held at Timaru last week. Introducing the judge, f Mrs Bernard Beeby, of Christchurch, the president of the federation, said that 10 of the 23 institutes in the federation had entered for the festival. Mrs Beeby said that the standard had been very high. The cast in the winning play in the open class that evening, “Mr Hacket’s Prize,” by H. V. Purtell, staged by the Mayfield Institute, gave an excellent performance. The team work was very good. “Men for Pieces,” by Violet Targuse, presented by the Willoughby institute, was placed second, and “Elizabeth Refuses,” presented by the Lowcliffe Institute, third. # X ¥ * Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” was staged at Christchurch for two nights this week by the Canterbury College Drama Society.

STAGE, PLAYS AND PLAYERS “Billie” Please Melbourne According to the newspapers, 1 “Billie,” a new musical comedy staged by Sir Benjamin Fuller, is the brightest and sprightliest show seen in Melbourne for a long time. ; Catherine Stewart is winning popularity in the title role, and among 1 other well-known people in the cast j arc Barrett Leonard (the clever light ! comedian who was in New Zealand with Marie Burke in “Frasquita” and I “Katja”), Rene Maxwell, Eric Bush, ‘ Charles Norman and Dawn Lightfoot. Film Star May Visit New Zealand ! Sir Benjamin Fuller, communicating with his New Zealand organisation, i confirms the report that he is negotiating with the American comedian i Jimmy Durante with a view to the 'star appearing in the Fuller theatres ! throughout Australia and the Domin- \ ion. | “The Shining Hour” in Christchurch I The Williamson company headed by ; Ethel Morrison and Elaine Hamill is drawing large audiences in Christ-

| church. 1 “The Shining Hour,” succeeded “Fresh Fields.” “As Husbands Go” and “Night Must Fall” will be staged. Stage Attractions in Sydney The outstanding attractions in Sydney are: “The Gipsy Princess,” with Marie Eisner and Charles Heslop; j concerts by Richard Crooks, tenor; !“Once in a Blue Moon,” revue headed jby Jim Gerald; “Top Speed,” revue ifeaturing Roy (“Mo”) Rene, Mike Connors and Queenie Paul; and Gladys | Moncrieff and Lilian Pertka at the ! Trocadero. Musical Moments i Paderewski has been having a holiday in Paris. This , was his first ..visit ■ away from Poland.for some time. j “Lover’s Leap” at Wellington I The Thespians will stage “Lover’s iLeap,” Philip Johnson’s brilliant comedy, at Wellington next month. Victor IS. Lloyd is producer. Wanganui Operatic Society Further matters in connection with the forthcoming presentation of the musical play “The Maid of the Mountains” by the Wanganui Amateur Musj ical and Dramatic Society were finalisjed at a meeting of the committee, j Mr F. Wentworth Slater was ap- | pointed music director, Mr C. Stanley • Brown deputy music director, and Mr Paul Latham stage manager. Show week was selected as the most

suitable period in which to stage the opera, and the dates ( 9th to 14th October were decided upon, it being agreed to stimulate as far as possible the big “Wanganui Week” which is being planned to synchronise with the Agricultural Show. Other Activities “The Late Christopher Bean” is to be staged by the Timaru Drama League on behalf of the funds of the South Canterbury Returned Soldiers’ Association. Palmerston North Repertory Society The Palmerston North Repertory Society read three one-act plays—- “ Father Noah,” “The Poetasters of Ispahan” and “The Miracle Merchant” —this week. * * * * “Autumn Crocus” was staged by the Dunedin Repertory Society this week, with Roemer Gair and Richard White in the parts taken in the London production by Fay Compton and Francis Lederer,